Storm Chances Saturday, Freeze Likely Next Week!

Saturday Update October 15th:

Isolated storms and showers will return for some of us on Saturday evening and linger into Sunday morning. A major front will pass this weekend leading to a freeze concern next week. We could drop down into the 20s so prepare your property for the incoming cold and find your winter gear this weekend so you have it next week. We will have latest information on all the weather concerns across the region coming up here.

The Mississippi River is running at near record low levels due to a lack over rain upstream over the last couple months. The levels are so low, that salt water from The Gulf of Mexico is actually flowing northward due to the rivers weak flow. Locally, the drought conditions are moderate here in West Tennessee.

Here is a look at the regional drought concerns as of Thursday October 13th.

THE WEEKEND:

The weekend will have a little bit of something for everyone. Saturday will be the warmer and nicer day as another system is forecast to move through Saturday evening bringing a few thunderstorms to the area mainly to the southwest. **The risk has been going down as of Saturday morning and in fact parts of Shelby and Fayette county just to our west are now being dropped from the slightly higher outlook for severe storms as the front has gained a little more speed. The storms prediction center decided to take that area out of the 2 out of 5 risk zone and replace with the lower, 1 out of 5 risk area. The 1 out of 5 risk area has also been shifted further west and no longer includes Jackson but still includes areas further west. Most of the rain that does come through looks to now move through in the late evening hours into early Sunday with clouds hanging around off and on in the afternoon tomorrow.

Partly cloudy skies are expected on Saturday with clouds increasing into the day on Sunday. Highs on Saturday will make it back up into the upper 70’s due to breezy southwest winds. Saturday night lows will fall down to the mid 50s. Highs on Sunday will only make it into the low 70s and depending on the timing of the system, and if we will see any breaks in the cloud cover. Rain showers could linger overnight Saturday into Sunday morning and could linger into Sunday afternoon, if the system stalls out which looks possible. The winds will start of of the southwest this weekend and switching to the west than the northwest by Monday morning. Expect breezy conditions off and on most of the weekend.

NEXT WEEK:

The coldest weather this fall will be coming in next week and that includes the chances for our first freeze in the beginning of middle of the week. Prepare your property for the incoming cold and find your winter gear this weekend so you have it next week.  Highs are only expected to be in the low 60s to start the week and lows will drop each night and down into the 30s or possible upper 20s. There is a chance for a freeze Monday night and frost will be likely regardless. The coldest morning of next week looks to be Wednesday morning with lows falling down below freezing to the upper 20s. Sunny to mostly sunny skies are also expected for the first half of the week. The winds will be breezy at times and come out north. Rain showers are not in the forecast for the  beginning of the work week. Take necessary precautions for the colder weather that will be moving on it.

Warmer weather looks to move back in for the back half of the work week with highs making it back up into the upper 60s on Thursday and 70s will return next Friday. After a sunny start to the week, southwest winds will increase the cloud cover some by the forecast looks to keep rain showers away for the entire work week. Overnight lows will climb back out of the 30s by Thursday and Friday nights.

FINAL THOUGHT:

Some of us saw our first frost on Sunday morning October 8th. Those of you who didn’t will see some frost early next week and likely a freeze coming Tuesday night. On top of the colder weather, we often see storms develop in October as well and we could see more storms this weekend. There will also be more chances for severe weather as October is the start of our second severe weather season.  The tropics have been started out quiet besides Hurricane Ian, they look to remain quiet for the next week or two. You need to stay weather aware to changing weather patterns and monitor the forecasts closely. We got you covered in the WBBJ 7 Storm Team Weather Center as always.

For tips on preparing for the storms, click here. To download the WBBJ 7 Weather app, click here.

Brian Davis
Storm Team 7 Meteorologist
Twitter – @Brian7wbbj
Facebook – Briandaviswbbj
Email – Badavis@wbbjtv.com